Printing device



June 2,1931. R, ANDERSON 1,807,954-

PRINTING DEVICE Filed April 8, 1929 u 6 JOHN DQE,

cHlcAe-o,

. g MIHTQ QAQMHJS Patented June 2, 1931 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICERUPERT ANDERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ADDRESSOGRAPHCOMPANY,

OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE PRINTING nnvronApplication filed. nprfl 8, 1929. Serial No. 353,524.

This invention relates to printing devices and it has for its objectmore particularly to provide a detachable tab adapted to be engaged withthe printing device in a manner 1 which will prevent accidentaldisengagement or displacement but which will permit disengagement easilywhen desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tab which is adapted tobe mounted 1o wholly on one side of the printing device and which can beused with either of its sides in display position.

And a further object of the invention is to provide a tab with ayielding retainer lip adapted to engage a keeper on the printing deviceand requiring manual manipulation to release the lip to enable the tabto be disengaged from the printing device.

The invention can be used with a variety of printing devices includingthose embodying a frame carrying one or more printing plates having typecharacters embossed thereon as shown, for example, in Patents No.1,654,040, December 27, 1927 and No.

1,677,449, July 17, 1928, and one piece printing plates as shown, forexample, in Patent No. 1,629,033, May 17, 1927. To illustrate theinvention I have chosen a printing device comprising a frame with adetachable print- 39 ing plate and a detachable information card andreferring to the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a front view of theprinting device.

Fig. 2 is a back view of the printing device.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is anenlarged perspective view of the tab, and

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the tab engaged with a modified form offrame.

Referring to the drawings 6 is the frame,

7 is the information card and 8 is the printing plate, the card andplate being detachably held by suitable retaining devices on the frontof the frame, one above the other. I do not limitor restrict theinvention to a printing device of this particular type and it will beunderstood that by reference herein to a printing device and to a frameI mean to include printing device-s generally and any sort of framecarrying printing characters and adapted for use as such printingdevices are now used. The tab 9 is usually provided with a relativelynarrow leg 10 having shoulders 11, 11. I provide this tab with retaininglips 12, 13 at its side edges below the shoulders 11, 11. The tab is outat its side edges toform the lips which are bent oppositely at theirfree ends so that one lip 12 will project slightly at its free end onone side of the tab and the other lip 13 will project slightly at itsfree end on the other side of the tab. Only one lip is required forlocking the tab to the frame but the provision of two lips enables thetab to be used on the frame with either side facing the front; The frameas shown in Fig. 2 is provided with a pair of alined spaced keepers 14,15, as many pairs being provided as desired. These keepers are struck upfrom the frame on the .back thereof and they are of a size adapted tosnugly receive the leg of the tab, the shoulders 11, 11 engaging the topof the keeper 14 to properly position the tab on the frame. Theretaining lips are spaced "from the shoulders to enable the outwardlydirected lip to engage the lower edge of the keeper 14 when the tab isengaged with the frame. The tab is made of metal which will give thelips sufficient resiliency to yield under pressure and to spring backinto normal position Fig. 4' when pressure is released.

The keepers are preferably made narrow and they are spaced apart toassist in ho1ding the tab in upright position but a single wide keeper16 may be used as shown in Fig. 5. The keepers are located on one sideof the frame, generally the back thereof, they are alined with eachother and are unobstructed above and below so that, in practice, the tabmay be easily inserted therein. The shoulders limit the insertionmovement of the tab and when they engage the top edge of the upperkeeper the outer retaining lip will engage the lower edge thereof andfunction to retain the tab in place in the keeper. It is the intentionto make the keepers and the tab so that the tab will fit snugly in thekeeper and mo will be slidable easily therein but the inner lip on thetab will en age the frame and tend to urge the leg of the tab outwardagainst the keeper and prevent any chance of accidental disengagement ofthe other lip from the keeper. To disengage the tab the operator simplypresses upon the locking lip sufficiently to depress the lip anddisengage it from the keeper, whereupon the tab can be easily withdrawnfrom the frame. The invention is simple in character, it requires noadditional parts but only the provision of one or more retaining lipswhich can be formed by simply slitting and offsetting the leg of the tabas now made. It will be understood, of course. that if one side of thetab is to be pre sented forward always it will only be necessary toprovide one retaining lip on the leg, but if the tab is reversible twolips should be provided. These printing devices are generally stored indrawers and arranged in aceordance with a classification system; theyare often handled in stacks, and they are run through addressingmachines and automati cally returned to their original storage positionin the drawers. There is always the liability of a tab becomingdisengaged from its frame and lost which would disorganize theclassification system. This invention provides a simple means forlocking the tabs on the printing devices so that they will not becomedisengaged therefrom, and at the same time the locking means can be soeasily manipulated that there is no interference or extra labor involvedin inserting or removing the tabs.

I have shown the invention in a selected embodiment for the purposes ofillustration but I would have it understood, as herein indicated, that Ido not restrict the invention to this particular embodiment but Ireserve theright to use it and to make any changes therein which may benecessary or desirable for adapting it with any other printing devicesfor which it is or may be adapted, within the scope of the followingclaims:

I claim:

1. A printing device tab having a yielding locking device on one sideedge thereof.

2. A printing device tab having a yielding locking device at one sideedge thereof projecting on one side thereof.

3. A printing device tab having an integral yielding locking device onone side edge thereof.

4. A printing device tab having yielding

